Kalanchoe plant named ‘Dokalfier’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Dokalfier’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely branching plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform, early and freely flowering habit; large single-type bright red-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOKALFIER’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Nov. 9, 2020, application number 2020/2816. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dokalfier’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands in May, 2014 of a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number FK 127982-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Fayal’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in August, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since October, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dokalfier’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dokalfier’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.     -   3. Freely branching plant habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Uniform, early and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Large single-type bright red-colored flowers.     -   7. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe are darker red than         flowers of plants of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have a longer postproduction         longevity than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Fayal’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of ‘Fayal’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are larger than plants of         ‘Fayal’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe are larger than leaves         of plants of ‘Fayal’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe are larger than         flowers of plants of ‘Fayal’.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Cima’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Kalanchoe differ primarily from plants of ‘Cima’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are larger and more vigorous than         plants of ‘Cima’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Cima’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe are larger than leaves         of plants of ‘Cima’.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe are lighter and         brighter red in color than flowers of plants of ‘Cima’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dokalfier’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical open flower and developing flower buds of ‘Dokalfier’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in 10-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 55,000 lux. Plants received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for four weeks then plants received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 12 weeks old when the photographs were taken and 13 weeks old when the description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Dokalfier’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number FK 127982-01, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Fayal’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically greyish white to             reddish brown in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density             to sparse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright and             uniformly mounded plant habit; freely flowering habit with             numerous cymes positioned above the foliar plane; triangular             in shape with rounded crown; appropriate for 10-cm to             15.25-cm containers; moderately vigorous growth habit and             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 15 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about six to             eight lateral branches developing per plant; pinching             (removal of the terminal apex) is not required but will             enhance lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 9 cm to 14 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color, developing and developed.—Close to 147A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.         -   Quantity of leaves per lateral branch.—At flowering, about 8             to 13 mature leaves and 12 to 18 generative leaves.         -   Length.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Vaulted and slightly crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             coriaceous; succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A to 147B. Developing             and fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B;             venation, close to 147B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to             7 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous; succulent. Color,             upper surface: Close to 147A. Color, lower surface: Close to             147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single-type flowers arranged             in axillary cymes; uniform and freely flowering habit with             usually more than 25 open flowers and more than 25 flower             buds per lateral branch and more than 150 open flowers and             flower buds developing per plant; plants flower continuously             for at least seven weeks; flowers face mostly upright to             outwardly depending on the position in the inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe             initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night             conditions or during November and December in the Northern             Hemisphere; flower initiation and development can also be             induced under artificial short day/long conditions (at least             14 hours of darkness).         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit, under short day/long             night photoinductive conditions, plants begin flowering             about 7.5 to 10 weeks; actual time to flower is primarily             dependent upon temperature and light intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about 50 days under interior conditions; individual             flowers last about 22 days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm.         -   Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Oblong, becoming tubular to             ovoid with development. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Proximally, close to 138C and distally, close to 47D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Four in a single whorl. Length: About             9.5 mm. Width: About 7 mm. Aspect: Horizontal to slightly             upright. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45A; venation, close             to 45A; color does not change with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 50B to 50C; venation, close             to 50B to 50C; color does not change with development.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four in a single whorl. Length: About             8 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Oblong, pointed. Apex:             Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Upright, rigid.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth;             glabrous; glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             147D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Erect, rigid. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 148C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About eight             per flower. Filament color: Close to 150D. Anther length:             About 0.3 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic, flat. Anther color:             Close to 150D. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close             to 12A. Gynoecium: Pistil number: About four. Pistil length:             About 1 cm. Style length: About 7 mm. Style color: Close to             138D. Stigma shape: Flat. Stigma color: Close to 8D,             crystalline. Ovary color: Close to 138D.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: If developed, up to 500 seeds             per plant. Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm.             Texture: Rough. Color: Close to 166C. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 12° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to have high tolerance to Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe     cichoraceaum). To date, plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be tolerant to pests and other pathogens common to     Kalanchoe plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Dokalfier’ as illustrated and described. 